The business model of coaching isn’t reserved for famous experts or those who have a PhD and can tout decades of experience and endless publications. Any niche leader who wants to utilize the Internet as their platform for working with groups and individuals can create and sell coaching programs.
It’s really not very different from putting out a digital info product, except in the way it can be delivered (and even then, sometimes there may be no difference). Don’t let the concept of becoming a coach intimidate you.
In order to thrive with this business model, though, you need to understand what decisions you’ll need to make, such as pricing and delivery – and learn what makes this a wonderful experience for your client so that they’ll continue buying coaching sessions from you and spread the word of your coaching to others.
Decide on Your Online Teaching Method
The first thing you want to do when planning your online coaching business is to select a teaching method that works best for you. There are a few different aspects to this decision.
First, you need to decide what type of coaching you will offer in terms of the number of participants. You can choose to have a one on one coaching arrangement with each client, or offer group coaching if the topic allows for it.
Next, you will need to decide how you want the coaching to proceed. You can develop coaching programs that are dripped out to your customers in a way where they are prerecorded or prewritten.
Or, you can choose to have a live coaching session with your client or group. If you choose to deliver your coaching advice in a live setting, then you can decide what kind of tool you would like to use to connect you with your customer.
There are a number of different types of tools, including Zoom, Skype, and more. Some of them are free and some of them have paid tiers. You may not need more than the free version – but if you do, make sure that the one you are paying for has all of the features that you require.
Set Up Your Coaching Workspace
Whether you are recording the coaching or conducting it live, you’ll want to have a workspace that not only reflects professionalism to your client in terms of background, but also gives you the proper surroundings to work free of clutter.
When you’re in a messy workspace, it serves as a distraction for both you and your client. You want to choose a space where you’ll be comfortable physically. Make sure you have ergonomic furniture and good lighting so that you don’t strain your eyes.
If you don’t feel as if your background is clean or nice enough looking, you can always buy a screen or room divider on a site like Amazon that has the look you want. Worst case scenario, just record or hold your session in front of a blank wall.
You may want to get a whiteboard with markers that you can hang on the wall and be able to jot things down for your coaching client, or draw something to showcase an idea or concept.
Position Yourself as a Go to Expert
When you are going to launch a coaching program where you recruit clients, you have to be confident enough to position yourself as an authority figure in your niche. You can’t be shy about your expertise.
It doesn’t matter if there are dozens of other leaders in that niche. You have to be willing and able to add your name to that list so that your prospective client has a choice about who they hire as an online coach.
You don’t have to go so far as to say you are the absolute best in the business. What you can do is be transparent with your site visitors about why you chose to be a coach, what you can do for them, etc.
Branding will be a benefit to you online because it gives you the opportunity to set yourself apart for what you want to be known for. You can develop a unique selling proposition (USP) that helps people differentiate you from what other coaches have to offer.
Price Your Offer Competitively and Professionally
Pricing is one sticking point that many online entrepreneurs struggle with, regardless of which business model they choose. You will have to put a number on your coaching sessions, no matter how intimidating the process seems.
Keep in mind that coaching, whether it is one on one or in a group setting, is a step above simply purchasing a digital info product and being left on your own to implement it.
With coaching, the client is able to have a little more handholding and feedback on what they should do as well as what they may be doing wrong. So it should be priced at more than what an info product would cost.
You can scout out coaching programs from your competitors and see what the going rate is in your niche. You have to make sure that the coaching is comparable. For example, if they are offering half an hour, and you plan to offer an hour, then that will affect the pricing plan.
If you are just starting out, you’ll want to be competitive with your pricing, yet still choose a professional number. Underpricing your coaching program doesn’t always impress the prospective client.
It may make them see you as a lesser coach. Sometimes, people are willing to pay a little more for someone who values their skill and talent. They may not want the bottom of the barrel, yet they still want a good deal.
Put Your Client at Ease Before Their Session
When you do have clients who have signed up for coaching, you will want to put them at ease before their session. For many of your customers, this will be their first experience in hiring a coach of any kind.
The first thing they need to know is that coaching with you will be conducted in confidentiality. They need to feel reassured that you will not create videos and discuss their problems and personal issues with the general public.
Another thing you need to do is make sure that you understand their expectations. Be sure and talk to them before they sign up for coaching about what they hope to see from your guidance.
That way, you’ll be able to meet their needs without having to guess at what they want to achieve. In most cases, coaching will be a hybrid of established lessons, mixed with those that are tailored for each individual.
You need to discuss with your coaching client the things they need to do ahead of time, before each session in order to be prepared. What do they need to show up with, or what do they need to be thinking about?
They don’t want to sit and waste a bunch of time brainstorming while on the coaching call. If they have these preliminary requirements mapped out, they will be able to show up and immediately begin discussing them with you without hesitation.
You also want to make sure that you, as a coach, are prepared before each session. Time is valuable for everyone, not just you. They need to know that they can get on a coaching call with you and you will not be searching for supplies or scripts that you want to work from.
Show Your Clients That You’re Present for Their Needs
Whenever someone signs up for coaching, it’s usually because they don’t want to take a journey alone. They need that extra handholding and guidance that comes from hiring a coach to tailor their mission for them.
You want to prove to your clients that you are there for them and that you are tuned into their needs. That means that there are moments where you will focus on listening to what they have to say, rather than speaking over them or interrupting them.
You don’t want to be multitasking during the coaching session. If you are constantly looking away from the camera at your computer to do something else, or otherwise not focused on them during the session, they will feel as if your attention is being misdirected and they aren’t getting their money’s worth.
Have Positive Energy That Motivates Your Client
The people who are hiring you to conduct coaching sessions with them may be coming to you in a state where they lack confidence or the right mindset to succeed with their goals.
It is imperative that you show up ready to serve them with an attitude that supports them when they are feeling down or unsure of themselves. Even if you have had a rough day, you should show up to your coaching sessions with an abundance of positive energy.
If you come to the coaching session feeling unsure of yourself as a coach or burdened by negativity, it will be visible and apparent to your client. They will be more apt to purchase additional coaching sessions from you if they leave feeling as if they are uplifted and ready to tackle the world.
Each of your coaching sessions should end on a good note. You want to boost their mood before they hang up with you so that they are armed with enough confidence and positivity to carry out the action steps that will put them closer to their goals.
Supplement Text with Images, Audios and Video Components
Regardless of whether you conduct live video coaching sessions or you create the coaching programs ahead of time, you want to use a variety of media formats. Using live video interaction does not replace supplemental learning materials.
You can use a mixture of image, audio, and video components to help explain a certain concept or simply give them something they can see, watch or listen to after the coaching session is over to reinforce the lesson.
You can use infographics, slide presentations, screen capture videos, podcast episodes and more to add additional elements to your coaching program. It’s really not very different from someone who signs up for a class where a professor teaches a lesson, but the student also has additional materials such as a textbook or workbook.
Sell More Sessions
When you attract a client to your coaching program, you don’t want to simply sell one coaching session. You want to have repeated business with each client or group. In order to achieve that, you have to have some way of enticing them to purchase more.
You can start by developing package deals for your coaching program. Instead of just charging $100 for a single coaching session, you could have a package deal where they get $50 off if they purchase five sessions.
You can have different tiers for this, too. For example, if you wanted to, you could have an even steeper discount if the client purchased a package of 10 coaching sessions. Or, you can have a deal where if they purchase a certain number of sessions, they get one free.
Another thing you can do in regards to increasing your profits in your coaching business is to develop certain upgrades for your coaching program. For example, you might have a coaching program where you help someone through the process of launching their own digital info product.
An upgrade idea for that might be for you to personally evaluate their product thoroughly and give feedback on what they could do different or better. You might be able to throw in certain services, such as copywriting or graphics for their site.
Prepare for Coaching Interruptions
Make sure that when you are getting ready for your coaching business, you’re also preparing for things that can get in the way of it. If you are writing an info product, interruptions aren’t as damaging.
But if you are on a live coaching call with one or more individuals, interruptions and delays can make it appear unprofessional. There are some things that you may not be able to avoid.
For example, if the Internet happens to go out in your area, you may not have a way around that. But if there’s anything you can do, such as getting on your smartphone and using data, you should do it to avoid missing a coaching call.
Some things, such as interruptions by family that lives with you or even pets, can be handled ahead of time so that you don’t have to deal with them in the middle of a call. You need to make sure that everyone understands the boundaries and that you have done everything possible, such as feeding or taking the dog out before your call so that they are not whining while you are on with a client.
Illness is another thing that can interrupt your coaching business. It’s inevitable that everyone will suffer from a minor or major illness at some time. If you are not feeling well, or need to take off for some reason, make sure you notify your client as soon as possible and make up the session with them.
